Drawer interlock for a furniture element

Abstract

A furniture element includes a housing, a drawer carried by the housing and movable between an extended position extending outwardly from the housing and a retracted position disposed within the housing, and a drawer interlock structured to slidably couple the drawer to the housing. The drawer interlock includes an elongated first interlocking structure mounted to the housing and an elongated second interlocking structure mounted to the drawer. One of the first and second interlocking structures includes first and second dovetail projections and the other of the first and second interlocking structures includes first and second dovetail recesses. The first and second dovetail projections slidably interlock with the first and second dovetail recesses in a cooperating relationship to slidably couple the drawer to the housing.

1 . A furniture element comprising: 
 a housing;    a drawer carried by the housing and movable between an extended position extending outwardly from the housing and a retracted position disposed within the housing; and    a drawer interlock structured to slidably couple the drawer to the housing,    the drawer interlock including an elongated first interlocking structure mounted to the housing and an elongated second interlocking structure mounted to the drawer, one of the first and second interlocking structures including first and second dovetail projections and the other of the first and second interlocking structures including first and second dovetail recesses, and the first and second dovetail projections slidably interlocking with the first and second dovetail recesses in a cooperating relationship to slidably couple the drawer to the housing.    
   
   
       2 . The furniture element according to  claim 1 , wherein the first interlocking structure includes the first and second dovetail projections, and the second interlocking structure includes the first and second dovetail recesses.  
   
   
       3 . The furniture element according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a forwardly facing opening structured to receive the drawer therein, the forwardly facing opening defined by a generally horizontally extending drawer support member having a generally upwardly facing support surface, and wherein the first interlocking structure is mounted to the generally upwardly facing support surface.  
   
   
       4 . The furniture element according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing carries a plurality of drawers, and a plurality of drawer interlocks are provided to slidably couple each of the plurality of drawers to the housing.  
   
   
       5 . The furniture element according to  claim 1 , wherein the first interlocking structure is mounted to the housing by fasteners.  
   
   
       6 . The furniture element according to  claim 1 , wherein the second interlocking structure is mounted to the drawer by an adhesive.  
   
   
       7 . The furniture element according to  claim 1 , wherein the drawer includes generally parallel front and rear walls, the front wall covering the forwardly facing opening of the housing when the drawer is in the retracted position, and wherein the second interlocking structure is mounted to the drawer such that it protrudes beyond the rear wall.  
   
   
       8 . The furniture element according to  claim 7 , further comprising a support member mounted between the outer surface of the rear wall and a protruding portion of the second interlocking structure that protrudes beyond the rear wall.  
   
   
       9 . The furniture element according to  claim 1 , wherein the drawer interlock includes a first drawer interlock and a second drawer interlock spaced apart from the first drawer interlock, the first and second drawer interlocks slidably coupling the drawer to the housing.  
   
   
       10 . The furniture element according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second interlocking structures are constructed of wood.  
   
   
       11 . The furniture element according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second dovetail projections are spaced apart from one another to define a center dovetail recess, and the first and second dovetail recesses are spaced apart from one another to define a center dovetail projection, wherein the center dovetail projection slidably interlocks with the center dovetail recess.  
   
   
       12 . The furniture element according to  claim 11 , wherein the first interlocking structure includes the first and second dovetail projections that define the center dovetail recess, the first interlocking structure having a first end adjacent the forwardly facing opening of the housing and a second end disposed within the housing, and wherein the center dovetail recess includes a tapered edge adjacent the first end of the first interlocking structure to facilitate alignment of the drawer and second interlocking structure thereof with the housing and first interlocking structure thereof.  
   
   
       13 . The furniture element according to  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of support members mounted between the drawer and the second interlocking structure to secure the second interlocking structure to the drawer.  
   
   
       14 . A drawer interlock for use with a furniture element including a housing and a drawer carried by the housing and movable between an extended position extending outwardly from the housing and a retracted position disposed within the housing, the drawer interlock comprising: 
 an elongated first interlocking structure adapted to be mounted to the housing; and    an elongated second interlocking structure adapted to be mounted to the drawer,    one of the first and second interlocking structures including first and second dovetail projections and the other of the first and second interlocking structures including first and second dovetail recesses, and the first and second dovetail projections slidably interlocking with the first and second dovetail recesses in a cooperating relationship to slidably couple the drawer to the housing.    
   
   
       15 . The drawer interlock according to  claim 14 , wherein the first interlocking structure includes the first and second dovetail projections, and the second interlocking structure includes the first and second dovetail recesses.  
   
   
       16 . The drawer interlock according to  claim 14 , wherein the first interlocking structure is adapted to be mounted to the housing by fasteners.  
   
   
       17 . The drawer interlock according to  claim 14 , wherein the second interlocking structure is adapted to be mounted to the drawer by an adhesive.  
   
   
       18 . The drawer interlock according to  claim 14 , wherein the first and second interlocking structures are constructed of wood.  
   
   
       19 . The drawer interlock according to  claim 14 , wherein the first and second dovetail projections are spaced apart from one another to define a center dovetail recess, and the first and second dovetail recesses are spaced apart from one another to define a center dovetail projection, wherein the center dovetail projection slidably interlocks with the center dovetail recess.  
   
   
       20 . The drawer interlock according to  claim 19 , wherein the first interlocking structure includes the first and second dovetail projections that define the center dovetail recess, the first interlocking structure having a first end adjacent a forwardly facing opening of the housing and a second end disposed within the housing, and wherein the center dovetail recess includes a tapered edge adjacent the first end of the first interlocking structure to facilitate alignment of the drawer and second interlocking structure thereof with the housing and first interlocking structure thereof.  
   
   
       21 . A method of manufacturing a furniture element including a housing and a drawer carried by the housing, the method comprising: 
 providing a drawer interlock including an elongated first interlocking structure and an elongated second interlocking structure, one of the first and second interlocking structures including first and second dovetail projections and the other of the first and second interlocking structures including first and second dovetail recesses;    mounting the first interlocking structure to the housing;    mounting the second interlocking structure to the drawer; and    slidably interlocking the first and second dovetail projections with the first and second dovetail recesses in a cooperating relationship to slidably couple the drawer to the housing for movement between an extended position extending outwardly from the housing and a retracted position disposed within the housing.    
   
   
       22 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the first interlocking structure includes the first and second dovetail projections, and the second interlocking structure includes the first and second dovetail recesses.  
   
   
       23 . The method according to  claim 21 , further comprising mounting the first interlocking structure to a generally upwardly facing support surface provided on a generally horizontally extending drawer support member of the housing.  
   
   
       24 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the housing carries a plurality of drawers, and the method includes providing a plurality of drawer interlocks to slidably couple each of the plurality of drawers to the housing.  
   
   
       25 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the mounting the first interlocking structure to the housing includes mounting the first interlocking structure to the housing by fasteners.  
   
   
       26 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the mounting the second interlocking structure to the drawer includes mounting the second interlocking structure to the drawer by an adhesive.  
   
   
       27 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the drawer includes generally parallel front and rear walls, the front wall covering the forwardly facing opening of the housing when the drawer is in the retracted position, and wherein the mounting the second interlocking structure to the drawer includes mounting the second interlocking structure to the drawer such that it protrudes beyond the rear wall.  
   
   
       28 . The method according to  claim 27 , further comprising mounting a support member between the outer surface of the rear wall and a protruding portion of the second interlocking structure that protrudes beyond the rear wall.  
   
   
       29 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the providing a drawer interlock includes providing a first drawer interlock and a second drawer interlock spaced apart from the first drawer interlock, and wherein the first and second drawer interlocks slidably couple the drawer to the housing.  
   
   
       30 . The method according to  claim 21 , further comprising constructing the first and second interlocking structures of wood.  
   
   
       31 . The method according to  claim 21 , further comprising providing a tapered edge on the first interlocking structure to facilitate alignment of the drawer and second interlocking structure thereof with the housing and first interlocking structure thereof.  
   
   
       32 . The method according to  claim 21 , mounting a plurality of support members between the drawer and the second interlocking structure to secure the second interlocking structure to the drawer.